lit*chick

The Odds by Stewart O'Nan

I know I should be posting something cute for Valentine's Day, but this book is a valentine of sorts...and if you read it while eating chocolate then by golly you've celebrated.

The Odds: A Love Story by Stewart O'Nan, 192 pages. Available in hardcover, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Viking.

Nobody writes the ordinaryness of life better than Stewart O'Nan. The Fowlers are a regular couple - married for 30 years, facing divorce and bankruptcy, they are headed to Niagara Falls (where they honeymooned) to risk their remaining savings at the roulette wheel.  The reader is treated to their thoughts and reflections as what is unspoken between them blankets every interaction. I couldn't help but recall Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach, another small book that packs a big punch, although about newlyweds. All those expectations and things unsaid are interesting to note both at the beginning and end of a marriage, as both stories so elegantly attest.

Even in this slim volume, O'Nan's attention to detail is staggering, ie. including bathroom habits, which I could have done without, but such is the intimacy between characters and reader. His prose remains crisp even though it is packed with insight and particulars. The backdrop of Niagara Falls is so fitting with it's cheesy romantic vibe in contrast with the cynicism of Marion and powerful but controlled chaos of the Falls - compared to the calculated recklessness of Art. It is a modern fable of unfinished people - more beautiful still, it is contained in a tightly crafted tiny package. It required so little commitment to read yet has proven its worth in reflection many times over.  I will say if you did not enjoy his book Last Night at the Lobster, this one may not be for you. His style varies so much between novels (he writes non-fiction too- see below), that is possible to pick and choose, but I like it all.

Here is his website: http://stewart-onan.com

And just for fun, I have a six degrees of separation story with Mr. O'Nan (well, technically three degrees). Several years ago he interviewed my husband's grandmother for his book The Circus Fire about the horrific Hartford Fire of 1945. He visited Grandma Jennie in her assisted living home to talk about her memories of that time as she volunteered with the Red Cross and I have no doubt he was surprised by her candor and wit. Her memory, even in her 90s, was incredibly sharp, she loved to share her knowledge and experience with others, with a particular passion for politics. And in one of her letters she told us of his visit.  She is no longer living, but I give her credit for introducing me to his work and can't help but think of her when I see one of his books.

The End.

PS - Have a Happy Valentine's Day!  Any special plans? None here, but I'm feeling pretty festive and putting whipped cream in my coffee. :)

The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy

 

 The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy, 304 pages. Available in hardcover, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Crown Publishing Group.

In 1945, Elsie Schmidt was a naïve teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she was for her first kiss. But in the waning days of the Nazi empire, with food scarce and fears of sedition mounting, even the private yearnings of teenage girls were subject to suspicion and suppression. Elsie’s courtship by Josef Hub, a rising star in the Army of the Third Reich, has insulated her and her family from the terror and desperation overtaking her country. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep in the dead of night on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands that opening the door puts all she loves in danger.

Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying to file a feel-good Christmas piece for the local magazine. Reba is a rolling stone, perpetually on the run from memories of a turbulent childhood, but she’s been in El Paso long enough to get a full-time job and a full-time fiancé, Riki Chavez. Riki, an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, finds comfort in strict rules and regulations, whereas Reba knows that in every good story, lines will be blurred.

Reba's latest assignment has brought her to the shop of an elderly baker across town. The interview should take a few hours at most, but the owner of Elsie's German Bakery is no easy subject. Elsie keeps turning the tables on Reba, and Reba finds herself returning to the bakery again and again, anxious to find the heart of the story. For Elsie, Reba's questions have been a stinging reminder of darker times: her life in Germany during that last bleak year of WWII. And as Elsie, Reba, and Riki's lives become more intertwined, all are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths of the past and seek out the courage to forgive.

This was one of those parallel stories in two parts  - one in the present, one the past - in this case one far exceeds the other and seemed strong enough to stand alone.  Elsie's story, as the titled baker's daughter, the correspondence with her sister in the Lebensborn program and experience as a German national with a heart of compassion are what make this book worth reading.

"Were you  a Nazi?"

"I was a German," replied Elsie.

"So you supported the Nazis?"

"I was German," Elsie repeated. "Being a Nazi is a political position, not an ethnicity. I am not a Nazi because I am German."  (pg. 60ish - hard to say on a e-reader!)

The book was weakened a bit by Reba's story - in part because her inability to move forward in life looks wan in comparison to the quiet dignity of Elsie. But also it seemed like the side story of her boyfriend's work with the border patrol was supposed to in some way mirror that of Nazi Germany. And I'm not sure it's a fitting connection, even the mere suggestion seemed out of place.  For me, Reba became more of a vehicle meant to give perspective to the wisdom and courage of Elsie. Despite my issues with the character of Reba, I would definitely recommend it as the WW 2 story is unique among books in this genre. Elsie's involvement with a Nazi soldier, the Lebensborn references and her unapologetic patriotism give a different perspective and tone to this historical fiction narrative, all handled in a way that doesn't stir up any sympathy for the cause of evil.

Review copy provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.  Just a note: the  e book version had some serious typo issues, specifically in the letter between sisters.  

For more info, visit the author's website: http://www.sarahmccoy.com

The End.

Cover Me: The Red House by Mark Haddon

The Red House by Mark Haddon

available in June 2012 from Doubleday

The set-up of Mark Haddon's brilliant new novel is simple: Richard, a wealthy doctor, invites his estranged sister Angela and her family to join his for a week at a vacation home in the English countryside. Richard has just re-married and inherited a willful stepdaughter in the process; Angela has a feckless husband and three children who sometimes seem alien to her. The stage is set for seven days of resentment and guilt, a staple of family gatherings the world over.

But because of Haddon's extraordinary narrative technique, the stories of these eight people are anything but simple. Told through the alternating viewpoints of each character, The Red House becomes a symphony of long-held grudges, fading dreams and rising hopes, tightly-guarded secrets and illicit desires, all adding up to a portrait of contemporary family life that is bittersweet, comic, and deeply felt. As we come to know each character they become profoundly real to us. We understand them, even as we come to realize they will never fully understand each other, which is the tragicomedy of every family.

The Red House is a literary tour-de-force that illuminates the puzzle of family in a profoundly empathetic manner -- a novel sure to entrance the millions of readers of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Sure, it sounds interesting - but I'm more interested in using the cover as wallpaper. It's toile-ish and I LOVE toile. The cover was designed by Suzanne Dean at Random House. I wonder if it is the British cover design, those are almost always better. I'm just sayin'.

Enjoy your weekend!
The End.

Friday Five

Source: dropular.net via stephanie on Pinterest

 

1. Just because I am a borderline obsessive reader, please don't get the wrong impression that there is a trickle down effect in my home. While I think I have properly followed whatever formula grows little readers, namely reading aloud, the results may say otherwise.  Two of my four are reluctant readers.  Owen's class has a bookworm challenge - points for every 50 pages read, which means chapter books! - his pace is slow, but with some encouragement he finished his first one - Pirate School. And all my children's literature snobbery is thrown out the window. Because I would gladly procure multiple cheesy short chapter books for more  "I did it" grins.

2. Happy February!  (How can this be?)

3. The Official New House Search was scheduled to begin February 1st. But there was a request made by the person whose income makes house searching possible to postpone, hence I am waiting. VERY IMPATIENTLY I might add. 

4. Ordered Downton Abbey Season 1 today. Because even though the weather has been pretty mild, I want to be prepared for any future hunkering. And it's still new enough that I can successfully catch up.

5. If you haven't already, check out my giveaway for Paris, My Sweet - it ends in a few hours - and share your favorite treat.  I had one in mind until I read your favorites and decided I love them all. But seriously, tiramisu is my all time fave. For pastry - it is pain au chocolat. Although I also love German pastry Chocolate Schnecke (reminds me of a combo of pain au chocolat and rugelach) which I can't help but pronounce like Chris Farley - Schnikies!

The End.

 

3 on Thursday: 22 Brittania Road, The Last Time I Saw Paris, The Lost Wife

22 Brittania Road by Amanda Hodgkinson, 323 pages. Available in hardcover, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Penguin.

In her powerful debut, Hodgkinson takes on the tale of a family desperately trying to put itself back together after WWII. Silvana and Janusz have only been married a few months when the war forces them apart. Silvana and their infant son, Aurek, leave Poland and disappear into the forests of Eastern Europe, where they bear witness to German atrocities. Meanwhile Janusz, the sole survivor of his slaughtered military unit, flees to France. There, he takes up with a local girl and, though he loves her, awaits the war's end so that he can go in search of his wife and son. He eventually finds them in a refugee camp and they travel to England together, where they attempt to put the past behind them. But the secrets they carry pull at the threads of their fragile peace. Hodgkinson alternates viewpoints to relay the story of three desperate characters, skillfully toggling between the war and its aftermath with wonderfully descriptive prose that pulls the reader into a sweeping tale of survival and redemption.

Obviously books about WWII have the potential to be depressing, but the darkness here was too much even for me, and I am a fairly seasoned reader in this area.  As Silvana and Janusz attempt to move forward after such bleakness and suffering, there is no relief from the despair. This was an emotionally draining read- the weight never lifted and I waited for some softness that never arrived.  Author Hodgkinson created a stark and realistic picture of the anguish that plague survivors of horrific events.  The characters were too hollow and brittle for the reader to bond with them properly.  Even after uncovering their secrets, there was not enough dimension to the characters to hold onto any emotion except sadness.  And the resulting lack of any apparent affection other than shared tragedy was not enough to carry the heavy baggage here. I don't do gloomy very well.

 

The Last Time I Saw Paris  by Lynn Sheene, 368 pages. Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Berkley Trade. 

May 1940. Fleeing a glamorous Manhattan life built on lies, Claire Harris arrives in Paris with a romantic vision of starting anew. But she didn't anticipate the sight of Nazi soldiers marching under the Arc de Triomphe. Her plans smashed by the German occupation, the once- privileged socialite's only option is to take a job in a flower shop under the tutelage of a sophisticated Parisian florist.

In exchange for false identity papers, Claire agrees to aid the French Resistance. Despite the ever-present danger, she comes to love the enduring beauty of the City of Light, exploring it in the company of Thomas Grey, a mysterious Englishman working with the Resistance. Claire's bravery and intelligence make her a valuable operative, and slowly her values shift as she witnesses the courageous spirit of the Parisians.

But deception and betrayal force her to flee once again-this time to fight for the man she loves and what she knows is right-praying she has the heart and determination to survive long enough to one day see Paris again.

While the previous book suffered from being too heavy, this one suffers from a lack of substance.  The character of Claire was written as a femme fatale, which I was not expecting.  The tone seemed a little off - maybe trying too hard to keep the balance between romance and intrigue. It was almost soap opera-ish. Claire was a little looser (ahem) than I prefer my heroines, although it could be argued she was trying to survive, but was too conniving to be a victim and too opportunistic to be sympathetic.  A quick read that turned out to be closer to chick-lit than historical fiction, it might appeal to fans of that genre. I was looking for a little more Le Femme Nikita (I know, ridiculous) and a little less Jessica Rabbit. (While I browsed goodreads, I saw it categorized in a folder called fiction-vixen and laughed out loud.)

 

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman, 352 pages. Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Berkley Trade.

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

Inspired by a true story the author overheard while at the hair salon, The Lost Wife imagines the story before the reunion of a husband and wife separated during World War II, who recognize one another decades later at the wedding of their grandchildren.  As someone who reads a great deal of WWII fiction, I was captivated by this story, particularly of the artists exiled to the Nazi-created "model" ghetto of Terezin.  Lenka's experiences as a Jewish artist, her loyalty and strength made this book stand out as unique among the other historical fiction books from this period.  Despite the grim details, I appreciated the undercurrent of hope that is evident from the powerful prologue. Of all the WWII stories I have read, this one stands out as a favorite and I highly recommend it. (I am also struck by how this cover is a poor fit for the lovely tale inside the pages.)

I am reminded, while skimming my thoughts on these, of the Story of the Three Bears - too hot, too cold, just right :)

The End.

Rules of Civility Giveaway: Pancakes & French Fries

Besides being phenomenally indecisive, Jules is also phenomenally nice and funny and real. And she's starting an online bookclub aptly named the Phenomenally Indecisive Bookclub. The first selection is one of my 2011 favorites - Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. In support of her efforts, I'm sponsoring a giveaway on her blog Pancakes and French Fries. Click on the link to enter. It ends tonight at 5pm (pst). Go visit.

The End.

Giveaway Day: Paris, My Sweet by Amy Thomas

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas, 288 pages. Available today in hardcover, Kindle, Nook from Sourcebooks.

Part love letter to New York, part love letter to Paris, and total devotion to all things sweet. Paris, My Sweet is a personal and moveable feast that’s a treasure map for anyone who loves fresh cupcakes and fine chocolate, New York and Paris, and life in general. It’s about how the search for happiness can be as fleeting as a sliver of cheesecake and about how the life you’re meant to live doesn’t always taste like the one you envisioned. Organized into a baker’s dozen of delicacies (and the adventures they inspired) that will tempt readers’ appetites, Paris, My Sweet is something to savor.

A fun and light romp through the boulangeries, patisseries, and chocolateries of New York City and Paris - I am over halfway through and can say with certainty you will need to keep a little chocolate nearby. Her descriptions of flaky, buttery and chocolaty treats are mouth watering. And I love the lists and guides to all her favorite sweet shops in both cities. Here is your chance to get a copy, hot off the presses. Just leave me a comment and tell me about your favorite pastry or dessert.  Comments will close Friday at midnight, est. Bonne chance.

The End. (fin)

I Read Memoirs in the Fall...Part 3: Foodie

Tout Sweet: A Memoir by Karen Wheeler, 320 pages. Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Sourcebooks.

Blogger and fashion editor Karen Wheeler has written an entertaining account of her spontaneous decision to move from London to the French countryside. She intends not just to renovate her falling apart home but her falling apart life. I found Wheeler's writing style very engaging as we follow her adventures navigating small town life and language, all with aplomb. She is honest about the highs and lows, particularly her relationships with new friends (you couldn't make up these characters). There was an odd side story involving one a disagreement with one of her crew that was never fully resolved and I can't help but wonder at what really happened, I found its inclusion curious.  Other than that I fell in love with the little details, the day-to-day - walking to the market, the boulangerie, and the bookstore seem so much grander (and possible) in France. Wheeler's story doesn't end here...there is a sequel, already published overseas and available used on amazon called Toute Allure and a third book Tout Soul coming out this year. There is also her blog http://www.toutsweet.net.

thank you to sourcebooks for providing the review copy

 

Season to Taste: How I Lost My Sense of Smell and Found My Way  by Molly Birnbaum, 320 pages. Available in hardcover, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Ecco.

Less the foodie memoir I anticipated, and more about the science of smell, which it turns out is FASCINATING. Sometimes the science-y statistics can ruin books for me, but not in this case. Birnbaum knits together her narrative with visits to the smell clinic and flavor factory (where it seems all food develops its synthetic flavoring - yikes). I am always drawn to stories where the determined course appears fixed until something (tiny, or in this case near tragic) steers it in an altogether different direction. I obvioulsy knew of the link between smell and taste, as does anyone who has ever had a nasty head cold, but had not thought of the long term implications of losing one of those senses. Not to mention the association of scent and memory - our mother's perfume, best friend's house, freshly laundered sheets, the change of seasons, new baby. What about all the dangerous smells - like rotten food ?  Crazy, right? So of course, I led our family on a hold your nose while you eat this experiment. And it rocked our world a bit. If you are even a little curious, I recommend Season to Taste for skillfully combining personal and factual into a recipe for readable.

thank you to HarperCollins for providing review copy

The End.

 

The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

The World We Found: A Novel by Thrity Umrigar,320 pages. Available in hardcover,

As university students in late 1970s Bombay, Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita, and Nishta were inseparable. Spirited and unconventional, they challenged authority and fought for a better world. But much has changed over the past thirty years. Following different paths, the quartet drifted apart, the day-to-day demands of work and family tempering the revolutionary fervor they once shared.

Then comes devastating news: Armaiti, who moved to America, is gravely ill and wants to see the old friends she left behind. For Laleh, reunion is a bittersweet reminder of unfulfilled dreams and unspoken guilt. For Kavita, it is an admission of forbidden passion. For Nishta, it is the promise of freedom from a bitter fundamentalist husband. And for Armaiti, it is an act of acceptance, of letting go on her own terms even if her ex-husband and daughter do not understand her choices.

Having liked her previous novels, I had high hopes that this would be the ONE I would love. I already knew Ms. Umrigar's strengths include vivid character development and the ability to draw the reader in from the beginning. I am never disappointed by the first half of any of her work. And in this case the same pattern held, The World We Found is just plain readable, up to a point.  I cannot say exactly when, but there was a subtle shift when it became both unfocused and forced. The big picture is the reunion of the four girlfriends, which includes flashbacks to their idealistic days as activist college students, and highlights their current disappointments and struggles, but even that plot was not fully realized. My sentimental side did enjoy the portrayal of lapsed yet loyal friendships. The story flirted with deeper themes - Nishta's storyline showed promise - but never penetrated the surface.One of the reasons I seek out international fiction is to learn something about a culture that is unfamiliar to me. But this seemed more like a Westernized novel dropped in the setting of India and then turned into a bit of a suspense tale towards the end.  Ms. Umrigar's writing is typically heavy with political and class struggles, in this case Nishta seemed like a token symbol of those themes. I was left a little confused, wanting a bit more, but remain open to reading this author to see where she goes next. This book would greatly benefit from a reading group discussion.

Curious? Check out her other books: The Space Between Us, If Today Be Sweet, The Weight of Heaven,, Bombay Time.

Here is a link to an interview on Goodreads where she lists her 5 Favorite Books About India.

The End.

 

Cover Me: So Cute I Can't Stand It - New BabyLit Titles

(images taken from illustrator Jennifer Adams website)

I present to you Little Miss Bronte and Little Master Carroll- available March 1st. I can hardly wait! Don't you wonder what other classics are going to get the BabyLit treatment?

As it happens, I just finished reading the Jane Eyre inspired tribute book (like a tribute band) The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesay and started Alice, I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin about the real life Alice who inspired the story.

Cover Me is an irregular soon to be regular series highlighting the wonderful world of cover art.

The End.